A magical Posada
by inmyfavor
Summary: Peeta travels to Katniss country to spend Christmas with her and her family. Things between them will never be the same after the traditional Posada party in which he is the guest of honor.


**Thanks to titania522 and peetabreadgirl, my pair of wonderful betas for helping me make this readable.**

I stop at the kitchen door frame, taking a moment to capture the scene in front of me, my eyes trying to commit everything to memory. As an artist, the rain of colors, smells and textures is almost too much for me to handle and I almost walk back to the guest room to grab my sketch book and refrain from the momentary impulse to fly back home to print this on my canvas. I just hope I can remember the fruit spread all over the wood kitchen table but I doubt there's a way to capture the smell of cinnamon and something very sweet coming out of the clay pot at the fire. I don't think the scowling girl hovering there will allow me to take a picture right now because she looks really annoyed with her task. It seems that peeling that little orange fruit is anything but pleasurable for her.

We are visiting Katniss' family in their home, in México, and she invited me to spend the holidays with them. I've never been here before and I was thrilled to be able to come and spend more time with my best friend, to know more about her and her town's traditions that she misses so much and won't shut up about. So our flight arrived yesterday and I was overwhelmed with the welcoming reception. Her uncle Haymitch and Katniss' little sister, Primrose, were at the airport in the city to pick us up. They hugged us, and her sister kissed our cheeks. e drove all the way back to her town where there was a full stock of tequila and mezcal on the table waiting for us along with _mole y empanadas_. I went to bed so late and in such a bad state that my baker hours were totally forgotten.

"Oh, I see that our guest of honor has awoken. Good morning dear, please, join us. We need all the help we can get. Today is going to be a big, big day." Katniss raises her eyes and when she spots me her scowl turns into a soft shy smile. Katniss' aunt, Effie, kisses my cheek while she softly pushes me inside the kitchen.

Katniss' uncle, Haymitch, was the one that took care of her and her little sister when their dad passed away in an accident a while ago. Katniss' mother, now cutting patterns in a sheet of paper with an empty look on her face, was never able to overcome the loss of her husband. Katniss went through the hardest times, having had to take care of her baby sister and her sick mother at the young age of eleven. That was until Prim got really sick one day and she had no one left to call but her uncle Haymitch.

Katniss' mother was born in the United States and met Mr. Everdeen when she was vacationing on a Mexican beach with her friends. They fell in love fast and hard and when she returned to her home a year later, she was already married and with Katniss planted firmly in her belly. Her family didn't take it well, they were very traditional and uptight, so when Katniss' father died they weren't really in the picture. But as soon as Haymitch found out, he went immediately to them, and when he noticed the state in which they were living, he took them under his care right away.

He was Mr. Everdeen's cousin. I had the "pleasure" to know him last year when he traveled to visit Katniss at her apartment near campus.

She is such a smart girl that managed to win a full scholarship in the United States. She was just a freshman in the same College as I, and we happen to live in the same building, in the apartment across the hall.

I'm about two years older than her but we hit it off right away. Attached to the hip. Best friends ever since, we spend all of our free time together. Yes. Trapped, deeply and tragically with no way out of the fucking friend zone.

Anyway, during Haymitch's visit he fell in love with a "gringuita" as he calls his wife. La _gringuita_ fell in love with México and its traditions. And me visiting is the perfect opportunity for her to host one of them. A Posada.

Katniss explained to me that Posadas are a tradition, December marks the kick-off for them, they symbolize the nine days of festivities that lead up to Christmas. Traditionally they were religious events, first introduced by Spanish friars evangelizing to the indigenous people. The Posadas taught the story of Jesus birth, but today, Posadas have mostly become private parties that mix some religious elements with food and drinks

"Come on dear, sit down. Katniss, show some manners and hand our guest a bit of the _atole_ Sae and I prepared for him. Sae also did some _chilaquiles_ for you. You will see Peeta, this will be the most delicious breakfast you ever had, sit, sit." Sae was Katniss and Primrose nanny, Haymitch hired her when he realized he wasn't capable of taking good care of two girls by himself and her sick mother. Sae became part of the family and now that the girls have grown up, she sticks around and helps with the kitchen and Katniss' mom's care.

I did was I was told and sat down while Katniss stood up to put some sweet thick liquid into a saucepan, she is still on her pajamas, a small smile sticking to her lips "Morning" I tell her.

"Morning, and careful with the_atole_, it's really hot," she says handing me a steaming saucepan with a hot, thick liquid in it.

"Wow, this is delicious; I'm going to need recipes."

"Oh, sorry my dear but you will have to cook with us if you want to know how to make real Mexican food. That's how I learned." Effie says to me.

"I don't think Peeta has a problem with that, he's an amazing cook." Katniss complements, I'm not usually bad at taking complements but when they're coming from her mouth I can help but blush. My _best friend_ Katniss has an effect in me that no one else has, and I haven't quite learn how to handle it.

So, tI have my _atole_ and two whole dishes of Sae's infamous _chilaquiles_, a plate with fried pieces of _tortilla_ bathed in a hot sausage, a little cream, chicken meat and cheese in the top. Prim hands me a coffee in a clay pot called _café de olla_. It's strong with a cinnamon hint, I'm pretty sure I'll come back home with extra weight if I keep eating this way. I don't know how Katniss manages it because she sure eats like a starving Cossack.

"Well Peeta, I'm so glad you can cook, maybe this year we can have _real_ help in the kitchen for our traditional posada."

Katniss, who is pealing that little orange fruit again and swearing every once in awhile, answers affronted "What did you mean with that _real?_ I'm always trapped in this kitchen helping you with the damn posada."

"Manners dear."

"Kat, no offense, but you have been peeling those tejocotes for hours now. Is not a difficult task, even for you." Prim explains calmly.

"Yes it is and my fingers hurt already! There is a reason why they're called stone fruit." She snaps childishly. Katniss hates the kitchen and everything that it involves, except eating of course. Boy, she does love food. It's hard to tell because she is so skinny and fit.

"No it isn't. What happens is that you don't pay attention Katniss dear, I told you, you needed to boil them until they were soft, but you want to do everything fast. Cooking requires patience young lady…if you had waited until the _tejocotes_ were well cooked you could have easily remove the skin."

"So, what you're saying is that you two let me work here for hours when you could have just told me to boil the damned things?" she asks with that scowl I've learn to fear.

"Well, that should teach you a lesson. You need to learn how to listen sweetheart." Effie says condescendingly and makes her way to the stove, huffing and shaking her head "I don't know why I keep bothering with this one."

"I better go help Haymitch with the_piñata_." She stands up abruptly and stamps her feet all the way out of the kitchen. I try to contain my chuckle.

"The _piñata_?" I take a sip of my coffee.

"Yes," Primrose answers "It's that paper star shapely thing on the garage. This year Aunt Effie didn't wanted us to buy one so we did it ourselves. We use paper and glue and we were waiting for it to dry to paint it. It's in the shape of a star. Uncle Haymitch is giving the final touches before we paint it. I think Katniss will be here again soon."

I pay no attention to the comment, instead I turn my head trying to place the celestial? smell invading the air. It's coming out of the clay pot on the stove. I realize it's cinnamon, sugarcane and jiggery. They are making a drink called ponche, Effie instructed me to add the tejocote Katniss was peeling, apple, guava, jamaica, tamarind and prune. We let it boil and despite my constant begging they say I can't taste it until the party, Sae even swats my hand away.

As if it were a prophecy Katniss stomps back in after about fifteen minutes "That damned old man won't let me help with the _piñata_, he says I will ruin it!"

Haymitch enters the kitchen rolling his eyes behind Katniss back "I'm sorry sweetheart but crafts are not your forte, I have spent many hours of my life doing this damn piñata instead of taking a drink and you aren't going to come and ruin it in 2 minutes."

"Manners honey!"

"I wasn't ruin it, I was painting it, " she said petulantly

I smirk because although Katniss is incredible smart, strong and pretty much wonderful, we all have our faults and this time I'm on Haymitch's side. Katniss can't cook or paint even if her life depended on it.

"Good to know you find this amusing Mellark. Because maybe when you're done with the_ponche_ you could help with the painting of that awful piñata, seeing that you are such a wonderful painter ."

"Katniss poor Peeta, you are being a brat," Prim admonishes.

"Don't worry Prim, it would be my pleasure to teach your sister how to do things in her own country." I mock her, encouraged by Prim's grinning. Katniss tries to frown but a stubborn smile eventually wins the battle.

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

She huffs "No, I don't. Damn why do have to be so perfect?" Katniss says shaking her head smiling, and then she gives a step forward and encircles my waist with her arms "I'm so glad you're here." She hugs me so tightly it hurts a bit and then she just lets go, leaving me standing there with a goofy smile on my face until Haymitch disrupt my reverie.

"Sweetheart why don't you make yourself useful and go climb the trees to put the streetlights and the _papel picado_? _That_you actually know how to do. I'll be damn if you don't. I can't count how many times I went out of my mind looking for her to come wash the dishes and she was laughing at me up a tree with that Hawthorne kid."

"You getting soft on me old man?"

"_Mucho ayuda el que no estorba, cariño."_ Katniss stomps out again, glaring at Haymitch.

"What did he say to her?" I ask Prim.

"It's an old saying here, something like "helps a lot, the one who doesn't get in the way." This makes me chuckle.

"Now I'm going to teach you how to make _buñuelos_." Effie claps her hands enthusiastically.

"I think that's something I can actually help with. I'm a baker son, remember?"

So, when it's time for the party Katniss knocks on the guest room door, which is my room for now. "Come on Peeta, its time, " She says as she takes my hand in her small one as soon as I open the door. It's a common, innocent gesture for us but it never fails to turn my skin on fire.

It's cold and the party is outside so she is wearing a bonnet and her long walnut-colored hair down. I wonder why she never uses it like this, so I pull her hand stopping her softly to take a better look at her like this "You look beautiful Katniss, you should wear your hair like this more often".

She faces me, our gazes locked for a moment until she breaks the spell snorting humorlessly "You're too sweet to me; I'm a long way from beautiful Peeta."

I unthinkingly run the back of my hand down her cheekbone "Oh Katniss, you have no idea." She looks into my eyes, at first with surprise but then our gazes lock again, the same way they've done so many times before, making me feel hopeful enough to start questioning myself: Should I tell her? Should I just kiss her and see where that goes? Should I lick her neck all the way to her chin until I reach her soft lips…? Man, I'm daydreaming again.

I've been trying to tell her how I feel for the longest time now but I'm too afraid of ruining our friendship, I'm not sure if I could live without her if she rejects me.

But she sometimes says some things or looks at me this way and I think, maybe…maybe I have a shot. She instantly closes up or says how I'm the best friend ever or that any girl would be happy to have me because of how perfect I am or some crap like that that shatters my hopes and dreams into pieces.

So, when Katniss asked me if I wanted to spend Christmas with her I say yes right away, a little more eager than my pride would like to accept, and devoted myself to praying until we left that she didn't have second thoughts about the invitation. I could have a shot this time and honestly, last Christmas break was horrible, I was miserable without her, I'd become so attached to her that I couldn't function properly and spent most part of the holidays on my ipad waiting for her to appear on my online window. She never did it, and although I can understand that she was enjoying her sister, her family, and her home, that she missed them terribly, it hurt like hell. I know she has friends that she doesn't talk about much but my stupid heart was hoping that maybe she missed me too. I got lucky that she didn't come home for summer break because of her job so I wasn't about to waste this opportunity.

She appears to be considering something too but immediately thinks better of it, shaking her head softly, as if riding of whatever was on her mind. She takes my hand again pulling me behind her "Let's go or Effie will have a fit."

We're standing in the garden doing nothing, exposed to the cold winter with air Mrs. Everdeen, Haymitch, Effie, Prim and her boyfriend Rory, Sae, her granddaughter Mary, Katniss and me "What are we doing?" I ask leaning closer to Katniss ear.

She gasps before she answers "Um…we're waiting for the peregrines."

"We're waiting for whom?" I ask as suddenly there is some singing out of the house.

_En el nombre del cielo_

_Os pido posada_

_Pues no quiere andar_

_Mi esposa amada_

Prim jumps clapping her hands excitedly "They're here!"

She turns to me, handing me a candle and a paper, containing the lyrics of a song in Spanish, written in question and answer form, I don't understand shit but Katniss leans closer to me and whispers in my ear "The song reenacts Mary and Joseph's quest for shelter in Bethlehem." Her warm breath in my ear and neck makes me shudder and I lose track of what else is she saying. I find myself looking at the space, lost in the sensation and the soft smell of her vanilla shampoo. That's until a heavenly voice returns me to my senses, my skin erupting in goosebumps and I turn in the direction of Katniss, the beautiful, raspy, angelicl but somehow sexy voice issuing from her lips. I feel dizzy, all the air just left my lungs. I didn't have a clue Katniss could sing, and certainly not in such way. How many wonderful things am I'm missing about my best friend? I suddenly feel the growing need to know a whole lot more about her.

She is singing back to the group outside, they are asking to be let in and I don't know much Spanish but I think we're saying no to something the group outside is asking for. Well Katniss is, because every other voice fades away and I can only pay attention to her. That's the moment my stupid heart picks to just know. Just know that I feel too much for this girl to simply stand back as a friend. I need to talk to her.

After they deny the entrance three times as the song says, they let the peregrines in. There is happiness, hugs, a lot of people cheering, holding candles and _bengala_ lights. They hug each other and Effie rushes to proudly introduce me to their friends. Haymitch soon comes close to me, placing a stick on my hand "Time to break the piñata kid and as you are our guest of honor you will be the first one to hit her."

I frantically try to spot Katniss, her back is to me and a tall guy hugs her so hard that he picks her up off the ground, Katniss winds her arms over his neck. My heart drops to the floor but I try to reason with myself that it doesn't necessarily have to mean something, he must be a friend. She isn't a hugger, except for her sister and sometimes, me, and that's what worries me, but I keep reassuring myself that I'd know if there was someone special in her life, he has to be a friend, one that I don't know anything about, but a friend nonetheless.

Anyway, I won't have much help from her at the moment. The piñata is hanging between two trees with a rope and Haymitch keeps pushing me in its direction. I was wrong because Katniss walks to me with a thing she calls_paliacate_ in her hand, which to me looks like a simple bandanna, and place it on my eyes,

"I'm going to cover your eyes, then you'll make three turns and try to hit the piñata okay?" She ties the knot tightly behind my head."Now, can you see anything?"

"How could I? You just covered my eyes!"

"How many fingers do you see?"

"What?"

"Forget it, I don't think you can see. It's a habit to ask."

I don't have enough time for questions, my eyes are covered and she is making me turn on my feet until I feel dizzy "Now hit it Peeta, to your right!" everyone starts chanting _Dale!, Dale!_, while Katniss yells instructions on where the piñata is. Suddenly they count to three and stop the singing. I've been swinging the stick in every direction trying to do what I was told and hit the piñata without falling to the floor

"Stop Peeta your turn is over," I hear Katniss voice saying so I stop my movements and she disentangles the bandana from my eyes. She is grinning so wide, the edges of her eyes crinkle, she removes the bandanna slowly and I don't know if I'm still blind by light or a little bit dizzy but I swear that she took a little more time that necessary, touching my hair. I feel chills at the sensation of her fingers on my nape, her eyes focused on mine, smiling widely at me. Shit, I got it worst than I originally thought.

"Your turn Catnip," _Catnip?_ It's the same guy Katniss hugged earlier and Effie comes to cover Katniss eyes. She tells me to walk back so she won't hit me, while the guy places his hands over Katniss shoulders, making her turn three times and the same chants starts again. She manages to hit the star once and , now that she knows where it is , hits it repeatedly.

Everyone has their turn and it's pretty funny to watch, I even starting to learn the little piñata song; after everyone has had their turn, Katniss yells "Now you can break it Gale!" the same fucker comes closer and without covering his eyes starts to hit the piñata, after four blows, the thing, already about to fall apart, breaks and a colorful rain of peanuts and fruit falls to the floor.

Yes, he is very tall and his broad- shoulders tell that he is obviously strong but I think I could have broken it myself too, if she hadn't covered my eyes of course.

Everyone hurries to the floor in order to collect what was inside the piñata "Come on Peeta, help me!" Katniss calls me from her place at the floor where she appears to be fighting with everyone around to gather more of the goods that have just fallen,

I rush to her "Here, take this and help me" she says handing me basically the same fruit we made the _ponche_ with, plus peanuts and some candy. I wish I could capture everyone's happy faces on one of my draws, I just know this magical night will be the subject of many future paintings.

There are tamales for dinner, I turn to look out for Katniss so I can sit down next to her but she is with that guy again and then it just hit me: that's the Gale she always was facetiming with, her friend from home. I just always assumed Gale was a woman's name. He leads her to the table with his hand on the small of her back and jealousy creeps over me. I start to see red and I know I have no claim on her and I need to chill so I stand up wanting to take a walk but people here are so nice and welcoming that everyone intends to engage in conversation with me.

Two guys named Darius and Rory, offer me some _ponche_ and I take the steaming vase "Wow, this is strong." I don't remember adding liquor to it when we made it but turns out that's exactly what I need at the moment with the cool wind on my face and the ice reigning in my heart, so I eat the fruit at the bottom of the cup when I finish drinking it and I find that I can't stop, I ask them to refill my cup over and over again.

Katniss is still sitting next to him, giggling at pretty much everything the dude says. She is not a giggling type of girl so the dread in the pit on my stomach only grows. Katniss laughing and joking around isn't a common sight. I think my chances just went to from slim to nonexistent. How could I think have thought _Gale_ was a woman's name? Idiot.

She turns around, like looking for something and as soon as she spots me,stands from her seat and walks to me.

"Peeta, come I want you to meet someone."

She motions for me to come close to her table, and when I am close, he stands "Gale I want you to meet my friend Peeta, he is my best friend in the States. Peeta, this is Gale, my best friend in México," she says this like it's the most hilarious thing in the world, I can't help but glare at her. After that, the guy shakes my hand a little too strongly for my taste.

"We haven't seen each other since last Christmas vacation but we sure hung out every day, right Catnip?" Now I understand why she forgot my existence a year ago. The sensation makes me feel a lump in my throat.

Katniss suddenly seems uncomfortable. _Well, good_! "So Peeta helped with the_buñuelos_. They are the best ever, don't you think Gale?" she says trying to disperse the palpable tension growing between us. e nods, eyeing me carefully. We attempt a few minutes of awkward conversation until it becomes unbearable and I just tell them I'm for getting another glass of _ponche,_to warm me up and sweeten my bitterness.

Katniss calls following my steps, but I try to keep walking "Peeta!"

"What Katniss?" I practically yell.

She opens her mouth and closes, taken aback by my rude tone of voice "Is everything okay?"

"Why? You wouldn't you notice if it was otherwise." I snap at her, feeling like shit right away. She stands there, confused and hurt, I never talk like that, especially not to her, no matter how mad I'm, I'm about to apologize to her but_her best friend from home, Gale_ is glaring at me and makes me think better of it. I walk to find a place to sit as far away from people as I can. I feel Katniss' eyes on me every second but I don't turn to face her.

I sit down under the apple tree, ignoring the icy wet grass under my behind. Luckily no one comes to chit chat with me for a while, they are all drinking and laughing, some of them dance around, kids laughing and yelling in excitement with the sparkling sticks on their hands, I hear footsteps and a man's voice behind me. "She said you were nice."

"What?" I turn to see Gale standing next to me.

"Catnip, she doesn't talk much but when she does she usually mentions you, and she is always saying good things about you. I don't see them, though."

"I'm not really in the mood for a lecture."

"Well, I really don't appreciate anyone talking at her like that."

Although I don't particularly enjoy this confrontation I can't find in me to argue, I guess I'd be doing the same if she were mine and some prick snapped at her like that in front of me so I just nod "Don't worry about it, I feel pretty bad about it myself."

"Good. Because if you break her heart I will fly all the way to your country and break your legs."

"I appreciate the kind warning but I don't think I have the power to do such thing." I say lamely.

"Damn, and I thought she was clueless, clearly I needed to meet you." I stare at him as if another head was growing out of his skull as he walks away.

I don't know how much time has passed while I sit there, freezing my ass and watching the party from afar. Some people have started to leave, among them, Gale. This would be the perfect time to go and apologize to her but I'm still mad and enjoying my pity party, procrastinating the explanation I will have to give.

A silhouette approaches me in the shadows, I'd recognize it anywhere, if not me, then my heart which is so attuned to her that it skips a beat whenever she is around. I love and hate that she has this effect on me, "Are you okay?" she asks she she sits next to me, in the cold, humid grass, leaning to rest her head, over my shoulder.

"No, I'm not."

"Didn't you enjoying the _Posada_? Was it too much? I bet it can be…" I turn to face her, her eyes are as worried as her words sounds.

"Is not that Katniss", I cut her off in mid sentence, slurring my words, I guess the ponche reached my head finally "Everything is wonderful, the party, the piñata, you, everyone has been so nice to me." _But I was jealous. I still am._

She chuckles "Are you drunk?"

"A little" she snorts.

"Is it that obvious?" She simply nods in response.

"A bit. You're slurring your words. Come on, I'll walk you to your room." In my drunken state I don't think what I can lose, or that I could regret this or ruin everything, I only care that right now I feel brave enough, and if I don't do it now I won't do it ever.

I take a deep breath "I don't want to go to bed. I need to tell you something."

"Okay," she says slowly, expectantly, raising her head from my shoulder.

"I don't think I can be friends with you anymore."

She finds it funny "You're joking right? You're drunker than I thought."

"No I'm not Katniss, well I am but not that much that I don't know what I'm talking about, actually I wondered if I would tell you if I weren't drunk." I laugh humorlessly.

"You're scaring me Mellark. What did I do? Why don't you want to be my friend anymore," she leans, one hand on my knee, moving so she can sit right in front of me and see my face me, her eyes full of worry. She must have seen that I'm being serious because her expression changes and she becomes frantics. "What did I do wrong? Tell me Peeta."

"Honey, you didn't do anything. It's that…"

"No!" she shushes me firmly "It had to be something I did, but you have to know, whatever it was, I didn't mean it. If it's something I said, you know I'm no good with words, and how stubborn and rude I can be, and I have no filter but you matter to me, you're so important to me, I've been trying so hard to deserve you, why don't you want to be my friend anymore?" she sounds defeated, so hurt that I'm about to take back my stupid words but I have some courage left and I need to use it.

"I'm a lousy friend. Seeing you with Gale made me realize that. I don't know what is going to happen to me the day you have a boyfriend. A friend would be able to be with you, talk about your dates, maybe go out in a double one and get drunk with you if someone breaks your heart one day but I don't think I can do it Katniss."

"What are you saying?" she whispers breathless, looking closer into my eyes, as if she's looking for something there.

I smile "Now baby, I know how pure you are but right now you're just playing dumb. I'm saying that I care too much for you to be your friend, I'm saying that I'm totally incapable of seeing you in other man's arms without going crazy, I can't be your friend and I don't know if I ever will."

"Were you jealous of Gale?" she asks in disbelief.

"That's what you got from all this?" I ask surprised.

"Yes, because you're stupid, he's my friend, nothing else. He's married to my friend Margarita. Shehe isn't here because their baby has a cold."

I can't hide the relief exhalation but neither can I step back "That's really good to know but I won't change my mind Katniss. Friendship will never be enough anymore and I will be a lousy friend because I want to be more than that."

She cups my head with her hands and I worry that my heart will escape from my chest. I can't breathe. "So, all those dates you have this year that I had to ruin…?" Katniss asks.

"It was on purpose?" I ask surprised.

she nods guiltily. I can't believe her, well after a while I started to suspect it but couldn't imagine the reason why.

She is still cupping my head with her hands, and makes a move without letting me go. She kneels between my legs, her eyes telling me answer the question. My voice comes out as shaky as I feel "Um, after last Christmas, well, you didn't call me, not once while you were here so I figured I had zero chance with you and try to get over this, this thing I feel."

"But you couldn't right?" she asks hopeful, her eyes open wide, searching into my eyes again

"Isn't it obvious? I never had more than a second date with anyone. Not that you helped with that, calling or showing up." I try to reprimand her but her finger rubbing over my lips with her eyes following its pad make my eyes close involuntarily, I don't know what will become of me if she keeps doing this.

She has the softer voice, almost a whisper when she explains "I never called you last Christmas because I was scared. You became part of my life so quickly and in such intense way that I was afraid that I couldn't function without you, you know? Like my mom; so I have to prove myself that I could. I took that time to do that but didn't exactly work. I could function but I was also miserable. Gale was sick of my surly face; he said I was being stubborn and stupid. When I came back to College and finally made up my mind and decided to make a move you were coming out of your house with that Delly chick."

"I'm sorry." I whisper opening my eyes. Oh god, I remember that day, the dread on her face… and the anger a few seconds later.

She shakes her head softly and stops the wandering finger over my lips, silencing me while her other hand plays with the hair on my nape "Don't be." She leans closer, her eyes won't leave mine as if asking for permission, and God, I feel feverish. I wish she would just do it already, _She;s going to kiss me right? Thats what she is asking with her eyes right?_ But instead she smirks at me, grazing her way across my jaw line, her hot breath against my neck makes it hard to keep my eyes open . Finally her lips brush mine, I sigh heavily over her mouth and her intake of breathe drives me completely insane. That's all the teasing I need, I put my hands around her neck, pulling her to me so I can kiss her properly.

Her hands go to my biceps searching leverage, she can't be comfortable squatting over the ground, and call me selfish but right now I couldn't care less, she deepens the kiss, I mold my lips to the shape of hers and, yes, they are as soft as they look like. I silently plead with her to open her mouth so I can taste her with my tongue, and as if she can read my mind, she agrees. I ache to take her cave man style to my room to hear more of those sounds she is making me as I kiss her.

The need for air makes us slow the pace of our kissing and eventually break off. Her hands return to my face; she captures my bottom lip and gives me a lingering peck.

We press our foreheads together, waiting to regain our breath.

"Now, can I walk you to your room?" she asks. I stand up, fast at lighting, pulling her hand for her to stand too. She gives a quick kiss on my goofy, smiling lips and we walk back, hand in hand, to my room.

"Come on Mellark, we have to give our friendship a proper goodbye."


End file.
